一般財団法人　連帯　東北・西南　RENTAI　TOHOKU-SEINAN

We hosted the symposium near Senmaya International Club, the hub of our volunteer activities, at 17:00 on Saturday March 11, 2017 with almost 50 audiences.

On behalf of the surviving families, Mr. Yuichi Yonezawa, director of Yonezawa Shokai Co., Ltd., Mr. Ikuo Takeyama, partner of a Dutch style hydroponic farm, and Mr. Sakutaro Sugano, an orphan who lost his mother in the previous year after living at a temporary house for 5 years spoke about their thoughts 6 years after the earthquake.

Each of them talked about how they faced and overcame their emotional scars caused by the disaster and how they found the light of hope for the future.

Toward the end of the symposium, various people made speeches including Mr. Miura, who offered a building for us to use as our operating base immediately after the earthquake and Mr. Sugawara, director of a children's institution addressing the issue of child abuse, and provided valuable opportunities for us to reconsider how we should support sufferers of the earthquake from now on. Mr. Sata, board chairman of the Foundation presented certificates of commendation and commemorative gifts to the three main speakers who went through tremendous hardships. The board chairman spoke about the past support activities by the Foundation and his thoughts on what we tried to achieve through our activities. The dignified manner with which young Mr. Sugano, the second-year high school student (17 years old), made his speech made us realize the hidden strength of Tohoku. Wishing that the youth would grow up big and strong, the chairman gave him his favourite US navy jacket (decorated with an embroidered Popeye) which he used to wear when he was young.

During the first half of the symposium, the professional cello-piano duo, Mr. Sergei Srowaczewski and Ms. Tatiana Koresova, who also played at the former Okawa primary school in the morning, played beautiful music once again.

Click the picture below to see the movie.

The event was covered by Iwate Nippo and Iwate Nichinichi newspapers as follows.

The Iwate Nippo issue of March 12th, 2017

The Iwate Nichinichi issue of March 12th, 2017

At ten o'clock in the morning on March 11, 2017 (Sat), the sixth anniversary of the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake, we held a memorial service in front of the statue of Angel donated by the Foundation at the former site of Okawa Primary School in Ishinomaki City. Yasuhiko Sata, board chairman of the Foundation invited a professional cello-piano duo, Mr. Sergei Srowaczewski and Ms. Tatiana Koresova from Russia especially for the service. The duo played beautiful and exquisite music for the sufferers of the disaster and the souls of the dead.

Although many other events to commemorate the earthquake victims coincided with our event, Mr. Ikuo Takeyama, who was extremely supportive when the Foundation donated the Statue of Angel, kindly offered help for the success of our event. When the deadly quake hit Tohoku, Mr. Takeyama was in Shizuoka on a business trip, but sadly he lost his mother, wife and daughter, who lived in the Okawa district.

His late daughter had just celebrated her birthday on the day before the earthquake and was expecting to join Japan Air Self-Defence Force in the coming April. Upon the suggestion of our board chairman, the musicians played her favorite song, "Streamer (Hikouki-gumo)" by Yumin.

Mr. Takeyama bravely overcame the loss and the devastation after the earthquake and set up a Dutch style hydroponic farm in partnership in 2016, trying to move forward. We offer our sincerest prayer for the repose of the victims and wish him every success in his new life.

Click the picture below to see the movie.